Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Choosing an Online Casino - Part One

When I made my first tentative entry into the world of online gaming a few years back, I really didn't know where to start. There are literally hundreds of choices out there, and, as with any industry, there are many reputable operators and, of course, a minority of cowboys who get all the publicity when things go wrong. Thankfully, I got lucky and had good-to-excellent experiences with the casinos I chose, but while luck is important when you're actually playing the games, there's no need to rely on it when you're selecting a casino. Today, I'll give you a brief introduction to picking a reliable casino - one that will not only act ethically in all its business dealings, but always look after its players, whether or not they have had a good day at the tables and slots.

If you play at a land casino, the local licensing authority will usually give you good protection against being cheated. For example, in Las Vegas, the Nevada Gaming Commission, a state agency, is charged with ensuring that the games are fair and that the casinos follow the rules. Almost all online casinos claim to be licensed in one jurisdiction or another. However, unlike land casinos that have a physical presence in the jurisdiction where they are licensed, allowing the licensing authority to easily intervene if something goes wrong, online casinos generally do not. So, in order to maintain the prestige of their licenses, the authority needs to have a strong reputation for taking prompt and firm action if one of their licensees doesn't treat their players fairly. In Part Two of this series, I'll discuss a few of the jurisdictions that license online casinos & explain why you can have more confidence in some than in others.

This having been said, simple market forces are probably the player's best friend in regard to protection against fraud. The online casino industry tends to self regulate by virtue of it being so competitive; in many cities around the world there may be just one or a handful of local casinos where you can play, but online, a new gaming site is just a few clicks away. A casino operator who is dishonest or who provides poor customer service generally won't last very long. Word will get around the player community, and the casino's flow of deposits will dry up. Well-known online casino watchdog sites such as Casinomeister maintain lists of reputable and rogue casinos, and these are usually an excellent starting point when making your selection.

A good rule of thumb is that the longer a casino operator has been in business, and the better known they are, the more likely they are to be reputable. If a dishonest operator has a high profile, this will usually work against them. Another positive sign is that the casino's games have been audited by an independent third party such as a major accounting firm. If a particular operator does have this done, they will publicise it on their website, as it's a great selling point for their product.

Unless an online casino has ticked all the above boxes, you won't find me recommending them here. Even if a particular casino has treated me well in the past, that isn't a guarantee that they will get my seal of approval. As per the title of this blog, I'm just "another gambler" - I'm not employed by any casino operator and my primary concern is a great gaming experience for my readers. If you have any questions for me, please feel free to email me at any time at anothergambler@gmail.com

Good luck to you all!

Thursday, December 10, 2009

You Better, You Bet!

Today, I'm going to talk about odds. No, not weird people, but the likelihood of coming away a winner in certain games of chance.

Almost every game which involves placing a bet in the hope of receiving a return involves something called the house edge, the "house" being, for example, the casino, bookmaker or lottery operator. The house edge is the percentage of each bet that the house is expected to retain. If there was no house edge, all these businesses wouldn't be in business. It's what keeps the lights on. At this point, you're probably thinking that some bets have to be a lot better than others, which is to say, the house edge has to vary depending on the game. And, of course, that's exactly right.

First of all, let's look at a really bad bet. National lotteries. Of every dollar wagered, it's not uncommon for the lottery organizer to take somewhere in the region of 50 cents. That makes the house edge a staggering 50 percent, which is to say that the player can expect to see a return of just 50 cents in the dollar over the long term. Still want to play Lotto this weekend? Yes, dreaming of what you're going to do with those millions is fun, but you and I both know that the likelihood of a win like that is infinitesimal.

As a counter example, consider a game that would have no house edge at all. The simple toss of a coin, where you double your bet if you call the coin correctly, and lose if you get it wrong. In the long term, you can expect to win a dollar for every dollar you bet. That doesn't sound very exciting, but to properly calculate odds, one has to look at the long term, or what the result would be over an infinite number of games. In the short term, you could go on a winning streak in your favorite game and do very nicely for yourself. Believe me, I've been there!

Casino games fall broadly somewhere between these two examples. Thankfully, most of them are a lot closer to being an even bet than to a national lottery. One of my favorite games, blackjack, has a tiny house edge of only one half of one percent (0.5%), and that's with fairly average rules. Make your gambling dollar go a lot further - choose your casino games wisely and, while you won't come away a winner every time you play, your money will last longer and you'll have more fun along the way. Sometimes, you'll even find a casino game where the player has an edge. If you do find one of these, you should usually play it at once, and play it hard, because the math is in your favor! Naturally, such games are extremely rare, but they do appear from time to time, and so I'll come back to them in future posts.

Time for an awesome offer! This one comes from Vegas Palms, another well respected online casino from the Fortune Lounge group, with an amazing range of games. As a new player, they'll give you an 100% match on your first deposit, up to $100 or 100 euro. Simply click the banner below and you'll be playing in no time!


In the weeks to come, I'll discuss the odds of some of the world's most popular gambling games, such as blackjack, roulette, baccarat and craps, and some tips and tricks on how to maximize your return from each game. Not secrets, just good sense! I hope you enjoy.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

NETELLER - A Great Way To Pay!

So you've decided to join one of the online casinos recommended on this blog, but are hesitant to provide them with your credit card details in order to make a deposit and begin playing. It's always wise to be cautious regarding online credit card transactions, and while I've never had any problems with the security of my financial details at any casino, I also use an e-wallet service called Neteller, one of the largest and best known of its kind. Neteller is owned by Neovia, a company regulated in the UK and listed on the London Stock Exchange, and every casino I've played with supports Neteller deposits and withdrawals.

As a Neteller customer, you can also apply for a prepaid MasterCard enabling you to access your funds anywhere MasterCard is accepted around the world, for both purchases and ATM withdrawals. Neteller's prepaid card won Best New Prepaid Card at Cards & Payments Europe 2009, against competition from the likes of eBay-owned PayPal.

If your luck is really in and you have a big win, Neteller can also arrange for funds to be wired directly into your bank account; when I take advantage of this service, I usually receive the funds within 3 or 4 working days. Neteller also provides excellent customer service, including fast replies to emails and online chat with customer service representatives. After you have been a Neteller customer for a while and have made a number of transfers to merchants, you may be offered VIP status based on your account history. With this comes a discount on foreign exchange fees, free withdrawals, VIP customer service, and more!

To sign up now with Neteller, just click below. Signup is absolutely free, and you'll get a 10% bonus on your first cash transfer. You can deposit money into your Neteller account by bank transfer or credit card, and depositors' funds are held securely in a trust account until they are transferred to a merchant such as an online casino, or withdrawn.

NETELLER - Sign Up Now!

I'll finish today with another great offer from one of the Fortune Lounge group of casinos, this time Platinum Play. 1500 in free bets with NO deposit required, and you get to keep your winnings! On top of that, they'll give you a 100% match on your first deposit, up to a maximum of 200. But wait, there's more! If you deposit from your Neteller account, you'll get a further 10% bonus on your first deposit, up to a maximum of 100. To start playing now at Platinum Play, click the banner below.

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See you next time!

Monday, December 7, 2009

Greetings From a Fellow Gambler

Hi! Welcome to anothergambler.blogspot.com, a brand new blog focusing on the wonderful world of online casinos.  I've been playing online for nearly five years now, and look forward to sharing some of my gaming experiences with you.  I hope you will become a regular visitor to this blog, as it's my intention to bring you some first class offers from the world's most popular and trusted online casinos, as well as gaming tips, industry news, and maybe even some reflections on life in general.  I think it's going to be fun!

This being my first post, I thought I'd aim it towards the brand new player who's looking to experience the world of online gaming for the very first time.

If you've never played online before, I know that you may be hesitant about signing up with a casino.  You wonder if the games are fair, and if you will get paid. Believe me, if I was in any doubt about any of the casinos I recommend, I simply wouldn't play there, nor would I want anyone else to.  If I'm lucky enough to come away a winner (as I have on many occasions) and wasn't paid in full, I'd never give my business to that casino again.  A reputable online casino is a business like any other, and it's always easier to keep an existing customer than find a new one.

So, let's start the ball rolling with a great offer from Royal Vegas, a casino where I've been playing for years now.  You'll experience a huge selection of games, great customer service and rapid withdrawal of winnings.  I've met some of the team from Fortune Lounge, who operate Royal Vegas, in person, and they're most definitely a class act.  To start playing right now, just click the banner below.

Tune in next time when I'll discuss an excellent alternative to using your credit card when playing online, and, as always, present you with a great offer or two. See you soon!